Iran Slams US Sanctions on Iraq’s Nujaba Movement

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi condemned a new US Congress bill imposing sanctions on Iraq’s al-Nujaba Movement, a major Shiite resistance group, and said the Iraqi movement has disrupted the US policy to strengthen the Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) terror group.

In remarks released on Monday, Qassemi denounced the US Congress bill against al-Nujaba as a measure that aims to eliminate “noble movements” from the arena of regional developments.

“Since the occupation of Iraq in 2003, some powerful movements, whose main objective was to fight against the occupiers and cleanse Iraq of the remnants of the Baathist regime, have entered the political and military arena of this country,” he said.

“The Nujaba Islamic Resistance, which is also known as the Iraqi Hezbollah, is among these active groups that are influential in shaping Iraq’s field developments and equations…,” the Iranian spokesman stated.

He further emphasized that the active presence of al-Nujaba fighters in the battle against Daesh in Iraq and Syria has disrupted the US policy to strengthen the terrorist group and create regional crises.

“It is evident that Washington cannot tolerate the existence of Islamic movements like the Nujaba Islamic Resistance and thus resorts to all possible means, including sanctions and military-financial leverages, to eliminate them,” Qassemi went on to say.‌‌‌‌